Explosions Rock London
This story is still developing at this hour and more commentary will follow throughout the day here. God bless the victims and their families.
Update by Rob:
An Islamic terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to Newsmax the death toll is currently at 41, with 300+ injured. Other reports are putting the wounded as high as 1,000. I've noticed a few British press outfits using the word "casualties" to describe everyone either hurt or injured. Here in America a casualtie is someone who has died, so don't get confused when you here "1,000 casualties." That just means 1,000 injured.
Photos here.
There are also details emerging that would make it appear as though Israeli Ambassador Benjamin Netanyahu may have been the target of this attack. That seems a bit odd as the letter claiming this attack for Al Qaeda didn't mention Israel at all, but at this point who knows?
Wizbang will have updates throughout the day, so keep an eye there to stay informed.
Any readers in London or even in Great Britain with information to add please either put it in the comments or email it to me.
Update by Rob:
Tony Blair has left the G8 summit and is headed back home to deal with the disaster.
Blair, flanked by Bush and others, had some strong words for the terrorists as well.
Oil prices have also seen a sharp drop in the wake of these attacks.
Update by Rob:
Flickr has set up a pool to gather pictures from people on the ground in London.
The Guardian also has a blog set up covering the attacks. In the comments many Britons are posting their personal observations of the attacks.
Update by Rob:
Prime Minister Blair:
President Bush:
Security here in the U.S. is being stepped up. The group claiming responsibility for the attack in London has warned of other attacks. The U.S. wasn't explicitly mentioned (Denmark and Italy were) but we're clearly the biggest target these jerks would like to hit.
Update by Rob:
Here's an aggregator for British blogs. Lots of on-the-ground updates available.
If you'd like to send condolences to the Brits here's the contact information for the British Embassy. The Brits have been our stalwart allies in the war on terror, we need to go out of our way to stand by them now.
Wikipedia also has an entry up already with lots of useful information.
Update:
London Mayor Ken Livingstone:
Update by Rob:
Cell phone companies in Britain say that the London grids are jammed with calls and are encouraging people to refrain from using their phones for anything but the most essential of calls.
Update by Rob:
Ace:
I hope so.
Update:
Livejournal has an aggregator of London-specific postings going, many of the posts from Londoners themselves.
Update by Rob:
This from Andrew Sullivan makes sense:
Its all just speculation at this point. This, also from Sullivan, is chilling:
These monsters don't care who they kill in the name of global jihad.
Lets hope all the kiddies made it through ok.
Pretty much you should just keep reading Sullivan's blog. He's got all the right ideas about the London attacks.
Update:
Sky News is now reporting that there is evidence supporting the idea that these explosions were set off by suicide bombers.
And here come the nutjobs.
(CNN) -- Four explosions in London's transport system have killed at least two people and wounded dozens more in what UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said was an apparent terrorist attack.
More fatalities were sure to follow -- emergency services personnel told CNN that a rescue operation at Kings Cross station had successfully evacuated all survivors, leaving dead below ground "in the double digits."
Three of the blasts took place in the city's subway system and one more hit a double-decker bus, all at the height of rush hour.
Update by Rob:
An Islamic terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
CAIRO, Egypt - A group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe" posted a claim of responsibility for Thursday's blasts in London, saying they were in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The authenticity of the message could not be immediately confirmed.
The statement, which also threatened attacks in Italy and Denmark, was published on a Web site popular with Islamic militants, according to Elaph, a secular Arabic-language news Web site, and Der Spiegel magazine in Berlin, which published the text on their Web sites.
"Rejoice, Islamic nation. Rejoice, Arab world. The time has come for vengeance against the Zionist crusader government of Britain in response to the massacres Britain committed in Iraq and Afghanistan," said the statement, translated by The Associated Press in Cairo. The AP was unable to access the Web site where it was posted, which was closed quickly after the reports.
The group al-Qaida in Europe claimed responsibility for the last major terror attack in Europe: a string of bombs that hit commuter trains in Madrid, Spain in March 2004, killing 191 people. Two days after that attack, a video was found in a trash can outside a Madrid mosque with a statement purported to be from the group's spokesman, called by the nickname "Abu Dujan al Afghani."
In the new statement, the group said "the heroic mujahedeen carried out a blessed attack in London, and now Britain is burning with fear and terror, from north to south, east to west."
"We warned the British government and the British people repeatedly. We have carried out our promise and carried out a military attack in Britain after great efforts by the heroic mujahedeen over a long period to ensure its success."
"We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all crusader governments that they will receive the same punishment if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan," the statement went on.
According to Newsmax the death toll is currently at 41, with 300+ injured. Other reports are putting the wounded as high as 1,000. I've noticed a few British press outfits using the word "casualties" to describe everyone either hurt or injured. Here in America a casualtie is someone who has died, so don't get confused when you here "1,000 casualties." That just means 1,000 injured.
Photos here.
There are also details emerging that would make it appear as though Israeli Ambassador Benjamin Netanyahu may have been the target of this attack. That seems a bit odd as the letter claiming this attack for Al Qaeda didn't mention Israel at all, but at this point who knows?
Wizbang will have updates throughout the day, so keep an eye there to stay informed.
Any readers in London or even in Great Britain with information to add please either put it in the comments or email it to me.
Update by Rob:
Tony Blair has left the G8 summit and is headed back home to deal with the disaster.
GLENEAGLES, Scotland, July 7 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday left the Group of Eight summit by helicopter to be briefed on the attacks in London, but the G8 summit will continue.
Britain's Home Secretary Charles Clarke confirmed that there were four explosions in central London on Thursday.
Speaking at the House of Commons, Clarke said three were on subway trains and the fourth was on a bus.
"We do not know who or what organizations are responsible for these terrible criminal acts," the home secretary said.
Blair, flanked by Bush and others, had some strong words for the terrorists as well.
Oil prices have also seen a sharp drop in the wake of these attacks.
Update by Rob:
Flickr has set up a pool to gather pictures from people on the ground in London.
The Guardian also has a blog set up covering the attacks. In the comments many Britons are posting their personal observations of the attacks.
Update by Rob:
Prime Minister Blair:
"It's important, however, that those engaged in terrorism realize that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people and a desire to impose extremism on the world," an emotional Blair told the world.
"Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilizations in the world."
President Bush:
The contrast between what we've seen on the TV screens here, what's taken place in London and what's taking place here is incredibly vivid to me. On the one hand, we have people here who are working to alleviate poverty, to help rid the world of the pandemic of AIDS, working on ways to have a clean environment. And on the other hand, you've got people killing innocent people. And the contrast couldn't be clearer between the intentions and the hearts of those of us who care deeply about human rights and human liberty, and those who kill -- those who have got such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks.
The War on Terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is we will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time, we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate.
Security here in the U.S. is being stepped up. The group claiming responsibility for the attack in London has warned of other attacks. The U.S. wasn't explicitly mentioned (Denmark and Italy were) but we're clearly the biggest target these jerks would like to hit.
Update by Rob:
Here's an aggregator for British blogs. Lots of on-the-ground updates available.
If you'd like to send condolences to the Brits here's the contact information for the British Embassy. The Brits have been our stalwart allies in the war on terror, we need to go out of our way to stand by them now.
Wikipedia also has an entry up already with lots of useful information.
Update:
London Mayor Ken Livingstone:
"This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful; it is not aimed at presidents or prime ministers; it was aimed at ordinary working class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christians, Hindu and Jew, young and old, indiscriminate attempt at slaughter irrespective of any considerations, of age, of class, of religion, whatever, that isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith, it's just indiscriminate attempt at mass murder, and we know what the objective is, they seek to divide London. They seek to turn Londoners against each other and Londoners will not be divided by this cowardly attack," said Mr Livingston. . . .
"I wish to speak through you directly, to those who came to London to claim lives, nothing you do, how many of us you kill will stop that flight to our cities where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another, whatever you do, how many you kill, you will fail."
Update by Rob:
Cell phone companies in Britain say that the London grids are jammed with calls and are encouraging people to refrain from using their phones for anything but the most essential of calls.
Update by Rob:
Ace:
I don't expect Enland to "overreact" as the world fretted when we were attacked. But I have to think that Al Qaeda's little safe base in London-- that hook-handed monster, for example, openly supporting terrorism -- has come to an end.
I hope so.
Update:
Livejournal has an aggregator of London-specific postings going, many of the posts from Londoners themselves.
Update by Rob:
This from Andrew Sullivan makes sense:
Scuttlebutt from friends in London. Just passing along: cell-phones don't work on the tube, so the likelihood of suicide bombers is that much higher; ditto the bus.
Its all just speculation at this point. This, also from Sullivan, is chilling:
The bus behind the one attacked was packed with school-kids.
These monsters don't care who they kill in the name of global jihad.
Lets hope all the kiddies made it through ok.
Pretty much you should just keep reading Sullivan's blog. He's got all the right ideas about the London attacks.
Update:
Sky News is now reporting that there is evidence supporting the idea that these explosions were set off by suicide bombers.
And here come the nutjobs.
Kevin
jimmypop
Bike Bubba
likwidshoe
Carrick
jk
goon
Gene
Hungry Bear
2Hotel9
Rodney Graves
nalhamid
